Housing affordability remains the single biggest concern Denise hears from residents. She has spent the current 2024‑2025 term pressing for systemic changes — not just tweaks — to ensure Cambridge remains accessible to people of all incomes. Here are some highlights:
Eliminating exclusionary zoning.In February 2025 the City Council voted 8‑1 to eliminate single‑family zoning and allow multifamily housing citywide. The new ordinance permits four‑story buildings by right and up to six stories if at least 20 percent of the units are affordable. Simmons described the change as “another tool in the toolbox of affordability,” arguing that exclusionary zoning had artificially limited the housing supply. Cambridge is now projecting roughly 3,500 new housing units over the next 15 years — ten times the output expected under the old rules.
Strengthening inclusionary and linkage requirements.Denise led the fight to double the inclusionary zoning requirement so that 20 percent of units in new developments must be affordable, and triple the linkage fee that commercial developers pay into the Affordable Housing Trust. These changes have already generated millions for the trust, giving the city more leverage to acquire land and support community‐based affordable projects. This results in more opportunities for Cambridge residents to access affordable, quality homes, and to remain part of this community.
Investing in the Affordable Housing Trust.Cambridge allocates more than $40 million per year to its Affordable Housing Trust, and in the last three years has purchased multiple sites for 100 percent affordable developments. Denise has been at the forefront of pushing the City to commit millions in additional dollars to accelerate the preservation and construction of affordable units, and she uses her position to ensure these funds are targeted toward families and seniors at risk of displacement.
Updating multifamily zoning and eliminating parking minimums.The 2025 multifamily zoning reforms removed minimum lot sizes, caps on the number of units and restrictive floor‑area ratios, standardized all residential neighborhoods to the same C‑1 zoning, and allowed developers to build taller buildings when they include more affordable units. The city also eliminated parking minimums for housing projects to reduce construction costs and encourage development near transit. Simmons supported these changes because they make it easier and cheaper to build housing while still requiring open space and design guidelines that respect neighborhood character.
Tackling homelessness and rental instability.Recognizing that record‑high rents and a 4 percent vacancy rate leave many vulnerable, Denise sponsored legislation to significantly increase funding for rental assistance and legal services for tenants at risk of eviction. She also supported the FY26 budget allocation of $17 million for homelessness services and a $1 million municipal housing voucher pilot to transition residents out of shelters and into permanent supportive housing.
Affordable Housing Overlay and Vail Court.Denise continues to defend the Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO), which gives nonprofit developers like the Cambridge Housing Authority, Homeowners Rehab and Just‑A‑Start more flexibility to build income‐restricted housing citywide. She was a prime mover behind the city’s 2016 eminent domain taking of the long‐vacant Vail Court on Bishop Allen Drive and remains determined to turn that blighted property into affordable housing.
Balancing growth with community concerns.Mayor Simmons knows that zoning reform alone will not solve the housing crisis. She has warned that Cambridge’s median home price is roughly ten times the median household income, making homeownership out of reach for most residents without generational wealth. She acknowledges fears that new zoning could invite speculative purchasing and displacement. Her approach is to pair higher density with strict affordability requirements, strong tenant protections and ongoing community engagement. She continues to hold public hearings with the Cambridge Housing Authority and other providers to ensure that new policies translate into real units — not just promises.
Looking ahead, Denise will work to implement more elements of the comprehensive housing plan she first presented in 2017. This includes reviewing tenant selection preferences for inclusionary housing, expanding eviction protections and pressing the City Manager to deploy the capital necessary to meet Cambridge’s urgent housing needs.
Photo Credit: Robin Lubbock/WBUR